Possessive
by zimeatspotatoes
Summary: “Why do you get all the girls!” Naruto fumed at his best friend. “Why do you get all the guys?” Sasuke shot back, equally angry. Well...not all of them. SasuNaru and others. AU, high school fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

**Summary**: "Why do you get all the girls?!" Naruto fumed at his best friend. "Why do _you_ get all the guys?" Sasuke shot back, equally angry. Well…not all of them. SasuNaru and others. AU, high school fic.

**Genre**: Romance

**Rating**: M (eventually)

**Warnings**: Slash, pro-Sakura

**Pairings**: SasuNaru, KakaIru, more later.

This was originally going to be a humorous one-shot, but I really don't like writing one-shots all that much. I'm a sucker for character development I guess.

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**Possessive**

Chapter 1

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"Get away from me," Naruto calmly said for the third time, the guy's stupid perfect hair just brushing against his face. His equally calm features, with the exception of that slight cocky smile, seemed to relax.

"No," He smiled, sitting down "I'm not leaving."

Naruto fumed as the boy, who pulled out what seemed to be a full-course meal from under the table.

"Naru-chan!"

Something inside Naruto might have exploded just then. _It's okay Naruto. You can handle this without getting expelled. Just. Don't. __**Kill him.**_

"Look," the blond boy put his hands flat on the table, attempting to reason "I barely _know_ you. I don't know what it _is_ with you guys around here. Could you just..just **leave**?!"

Two minutes later, Naruto squashed the lovely prepared lunch into the poor guy's face. Eyes blazing red, he felt his energy die down as the principal motioned him over from the corner of the cafeteria.

"But-but, he was…and then the-"

"Naruto," Tsunade lowered her voice, hands on the drooping boy's shoulders "I understand. But another act like that and the cops will be all over this. _Kyuubi_ just…can't control himself"

"Stupid fox…"

"I'll talk to Iruka, all right?" Tsunade smiled, referring to Naruto's guardian

"Yeah, so _he_ doesn't blow up over _me_,"

"We'll work this out Naruto,"

Storming off to his locker, he thumbed out his combination and grabbed his books angrily. The action calmed him somewhat, but his anger rose again as he found that yet another jerk had shoved a love letter through the gaps of his locker door.

"Stupid _Kyuubi_ with his stupid pheromones. Stupid boys with their stupid gay boy stupidity," He threw the letter to the floor, closing his locker and punching it repeatedly. His anger had grown in the past couple of years, so Iruka had experimented with different outlets to release it. Any form of team sport would just anger him more, as all the boys would spend so much time ogling over him that they'd forget the game. Eventually they had settled on martial arts, and Iruka-sensei, being the master that he was, had promised to become his tutor. At the moment, however, Naruto still had his moments.

Sinking to the floor, he clawed at the floors of the empty hallway, as if his whole body was on fire. He gasped for air, and felt his voice lowering, the scars on his face deepening. His fingernails began to grow, and an otherworldly aura began to surround him…

"Naruto," A voice came from right next to him. He must have been in some mood, not to notice the careful, clipped steps of Sasuke Uchiha. The fallen letter was in his hand, and he was smirking slightly. Naruto growled.

"Give me that!"

"You threw it, so I guess you don't want it," Sasuke opened up the letter, a fancy Hallmark-like card lighting up with joy. Angrier than ever, Naruto rose and threw a fist. Sasuke dodged easily; Naruto's anger had made him clumsy.

"Teme!"

"Oh _Naruto_, how my heart beats for you," Sasuke mocked "Every day I wait for you by the bathroom at 10:36AM…"

"Sasuke!"

"…after gym when you shake the sweat from your soft, pillowy blond hair. Oh how I wish I could **touch it**" Sasuke continued in his steamy voice, ruffling Naruto's hair as he dodged another punch "How I wish I could be beside you, _Naruto_, every day and every night…"

Normally, any other man-loving being on Earth would have just melted on the spot, but our little kitsune was much too noble for that. Instead, he just kept screaming.

"And that's why I want to meet you. Turn the card over, my dear," Sasuke finished, turning the card over. A small pocket inside contained two slips of paper.

"Hm?"

"Oi, dobe. Movie tickets."

"Tickets?!" Naruto squeaked.

"Hah, the spaz put them both in. His hands were probably trembling so much from thinking about your soft, pillowy hair…"

The two shared a look, and then Naruto burst out laughing. He fell to the floor, clutching his sides.

"You-you…jerk!" He gasped. Sasuke chucked lightly. _Idiot…_

"Well?" Sasuke motioned, waving the tickets in front of his face "Movies at 7:00?"

"Che, sure." Naruto replied lightly, blood beginning to cool. Having Sasuke for a best friend was usually infuriating, but it calmed him from time to time.

"You're coming after school right?"

"No way! Iruka-sensei is teaching me martial arts today. Because of, y'know, _kyuubi_ and all that."

"Then what am _I_ supposed to do?" Sasuke crossed his arms, feigning sadness through his bittersweet smile.

"Ano…you into martial arts?"

"Only a master myself,"

"Ah, whatever you want. I'm taken until six though"

The lunch bell rang loudly, and the two walked off to English class, discussing their plans for the day. In a way, Naruto was the only real family Sasuke had, save his older brother Itachi. A family tragedy had wiped out the rest of them. Perhaps this was the reason he understood Naruto so well. Naruto still had elders watching over him, but Sasuke was that vent for the weird teenage stuff. He helped him get through the school day. They helped keep each other sane through all this.

O – o – O

"Good afternoon class!" the creepy English teacher greeted the class with a smile, turning to Naruto in particular "How's my little Dolphin?"

Naruto game him an irritable look.

"Knock it off sensei," Sasuke grumbled

"Defensive aren't we," Kakashi replied, maintaining his annoying smile "Into groups everyone! Fours please"

The next couple of minutes were rather tiring for both boys. Sasuke was flooded with girls, Naruto with boys.

"Please Sasuke, let me be _your_ partner!"

"NO. ME!"

One girl stood to the side, pencil behind her ear. She sketched in a notepad nonchalantly, as if alone in a far off place.

"Not jumping in, Sakura?" Kakashi asked. She had been one of Sasuke's greatest admirers. Sakura gave a smile, but it was not a sad one.

"Oh, Kakashi-sensei! You surprised me," She looked up, then went back to her sketching

"Well?" He asked again, and Sakura's mouth visibly tightened

"That's a waste of my time," She said simply "Everyone knows he's after Naruto"

Over the past couple of years, Naruto and Sakura had grown closer. Naruto's little "crush" had deepened, but not into love. Sasuke was usually there for him, and if not him, Naruto usually went to Iruka-sensei or Jiraya, or even Tsunade. But every so often, whenever Sakura was having an off-day, Naruto would be there to cheer her up. It didn't work the other way as often, but she came to appreciate whatever she got.

"You knew that then,"

"Yeah. It just doesn't feel right though. Chasing after him when it's not realistic"

"I understand,"

"I don't deserve it," She said suddenly, head down

"Sasuke?"

"No. It's not about love. I don't deserve Naruto caring for me," Sakura bit out, almost in anger "He never owed me anything."

"Hmm," Kakashi mused, looking over at the boy "That kid knows how to brighten up anyone's day. But it's not as if he doesn't have his down days either. You don't know what you've given him, do you?"

"What?"

"All that love he had for you, it wasn't just a "little crush". You're family to him, Sakura. You're home, familiarity, solidarity, for him. Something you've taken for granted, perhaps?"

Her brow furrowed in thought, for once at a loss for words. He turned around, but not before he got a good look at her drawing. He smiled.

A little orange fox. A little blue raven. Standing together in a field of cherry blossoms.

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R&R!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

**Summary**: "Why do you get all the girls?!" Naruto fumed at his best friend. "Why do _you_ get all the guys?" Sasuke shot back, equally angry. Well…not all of them. SasuNaru and others. AU, high school fic.

**Genre**: Romance

**Rating**: M (for the future)

**Warnings**: Slash

**Pairings**: SasuNaru, Gaa…you'll see (Enter Mr. Sandman!)

Hey guys! Thanks for all the reviews for this fic! Unfortunately, my other fic "Transition" hasn't gotten **any** lovin', so take a minute and read up. It's quite a bit steamier than this one ;D!

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**Possessive**

Chapter 2

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"Iruka-sensei! I'm ready for my lesson!" Naruto threw open the door wildly, eyes blazing.

"Hello Naruto!" Iruka's voice greeted warmly from the kitchen of his home "Anything to eat?"

"Yes please!"

They set down their bags, tired from school, and strode into the kitchen. Naruto took in a breath. The entire house smelled pleasant, like home, to Naruto. More than his own home anyways.

"Iruka-sensei," Sasuke bowed respectfully as they sat down for Iruka's homemade soup

"Hello Sasuke," The scarred man smiled "Come to watch? Or teach?"

"Watching would be just _fine_," Sasuke smirked, giving Naruto a look that caused the boy to sock him in the arm.

"Since when did _you_ get so good? How come no one ever told me about that?" Naruto shouted through mouthfuls of soup-soaked bread.

"He used to take lessons from me, years ago," Iruka laughed lightly, remembering something "Well it was mostly Kakashi but-"

"_That_ pervert?"

"Well he-"

"EWWW!"

"They used to teach together," Sasuke sighed, dabbing his bread neatly "Before he got his teaching degree."

"Iisstill weird," Naruto mumbled half-heartedly, deciding the issue was taking too much time and energy away from his food. After the light snack (or not too much in Naruto's case) Iruka got into his teaching rhythm. Sasuke dabbled between watching the two and bits of homework. They practiced in Iruka's upstairs room, which had been converted into a pseudo-training area for students. A corner of the room remained as it was, with a bookshelf, table and chair.

Sasuke leaned back in a chair, observing the tensing and relaxing of muscle in each movement. A sudden urge overcame him, and for reasons unknown he grabbed his math notebook and a pencil, beginning to sketch.

_What am I doing?_ He thought, _This is so strange…but…but it has to be perfect!_

Each punch, kick and grab were furiously etched onto the lined sheets of his notebook. He started in the margins of old assignments, but soon wanted more detail and moved to full pages. For the first few minutes he sketched both Iruka and Naruto, then realized that his best friend had proved to be a much more interesting subject. The line of his jaw, the folds of his shirt as his leg came up from a kick. Sweat trickled down the side of his face. Sasuke's eyes darted back and forth as if in a trance, and he felt Iruka's eyes upon him for brief moments. Not in anger but, as Sasuke saw when he looked up occasionally, in amusement.

The minutes flew by, and the two progressed from one step to another.

But Naruto wasn't the most gifted of martial artists. It was half past five and he had struggled with the same basic move for several minutes. Even with Iruka's calm explanations, Naruto became frustrated.

"What is _wrong with me_?" He growled in a voice unlike his own.

He punched the ground in anger. It cracked.

"Naruto-"

But he didn't respond. Sasuke looked up from his sketching, eyes wide. He hid the notebook away in his bag.

_Oh no…_

Naruto's body trembled, knees buckling as he fell to the ground. Sasuke caught a glimpse of his eyes and swallowed. The blue was being eaten up by the bloodthirsty red. Naruto began to curl up in a ball, and Sasuke ran forward.

"Sasuke! He'll listen to you," Iruka said, voice strained with worry. This wasn't the first time Naruto had…

"_All wrong…it was all wrong…why did I ever exist?_" He rocked back and forth.

Sasuke grabbed the boy's shoulders.

"Naruto!" Sasuke shouted "Dobe snap out of it! It's Sasuke!"

"Sasuke…_can't help…_" Naruto's arms loosened, and his head came up to face Sasuke. A wide feral grin matched the devilish red eyes "_Kyuubi helps Naruto now_…"

Iruka stood to the side, cursing himself for his inability.

"Naruto helps himself," Sasuke held the boy close, loosening his arms and legs, as Naruto struggled to regain control "Sasuke is here, Naruto. Sasuke is here."

"_Sasuke_…"

"Yes Naruto. Sasuke. Just get better now okay?" He half-screamed frantically.

"_Stupid brat!_" Naruto's voice shouted suddenly, turning again to Sasuke and staring him in the face "_Never told you how strong you made him, did he_?"

"What?" Sasuke froze, mind moving too slow. The thought passed however, as the relief that spread through him as Naruto's eyes returned to their original blue overwhelmed him. He embraced the boy, who shivered from the shock.

"Sasuke," Naruto's voice, hoarse, spoke suddenly "Sasuke…thank you."

"It was no-"

"Thank you." His eyes shone with emotion as they met Sasuke's dark ones head-on.

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably under the gaze. So infrequently had he displayed such emotion in his life, and so much more infrequently had he seen it…

"It's all right," He rose quietly, slipping out of their embrace. He felt cold and confused, yet his body was on fire. His heart was beating far too rapidly "It's nearly six. We ought to get going."

Naruto paused, and Iruka broke the long silence as he embraced Naruto, nearly sobbing.

"Aah, it's okay Iruka-sensei! We're just going to the movies!"

"I'm sorry Naruto, that I couldn't stop it. Go have fun." He released him after a few moments, and Naruto ran off to the closet in the corner to change out of his sweaty martial arts uniform "And Sasuke…"

"I know. I'll keep after him."

And the quiet was broken.

"What!? I don't need protecting!" Naruto shouted from the corner, and Sasuke's eye caught something as Naruto's body peeked out from behind the dressing screen. A marking on his tanned stomach-

"Idiot, you nearly died just now." Sasuke remarked, his voice shaking slightly.

"That doesn't mean I'm weak,"

"That doesn't make you strong," Sasuke countered, and the two bickered their way out the door.

O – o – O

"Hey," the guy at the concession stand leaned forward "What's your name, cutie?"

It had been five straight minutes and the blond hadn't yet gotten his order. The annoyed folks behind him began to mutter. Naruto promptly socked the guy and began to walk off, muttering something about unattractive pimply horny concession stand workers.

"Look," Sasuke, right behind him, began to give the guy a piece of his mind. In a dangerous monotone sort of voice. "I really hate the food here. I hate it a lot. And right now I was almost about to buy some, because that idiot you just hit on dragged me over here. But now, he can't even place an order and we're just going to find some place else. Just so you know, stay away from him. Because I'm awfully pissed off right now, and you wouldn't like to see the end of it."

He ended up seeing the end of it. Sasuke and Naruto ended up grabbing some burgers from a nearby stand, and ran into the movie just on time.

"Phew! It's still on commercial!" Naruto shouted loudly, causing some disgruntled moviegoers to grumble. They climbed higher, settling on a couple seats a few rows down from the top.

The two sat down and began to enjoy their dinner in the semi-darkness.

"What movie is this again? They said #13…but-" Naruto said after a moment.

"Hn. Look yourself." Sasuke replied, eating. Naruto scoffed in mock horror.

"Jerk," He took out his phone light to read the name on the ticket "It's called Understanding Men. Sounds like a documentary…"

"Sounds boring."

"Wanna hop?"

"No."

"Why? Chicken?"

"No. It's unethical."

"Who said I was ethical?"

"SSHH!" A woman from two rows up screeched.

"YOU SHUT UP! Heh, lady's probably PMS-ing or something. Ah whatever. For curiosity's sake." Naruto let out a belch and relaxed in his seat. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Lazy slob,"

"Hmph. Well you're uptight."

"Hn. The movie's starting."

The two shared a moment of comfortable silence as the opening credits came on the screen. The scenes seemed oddly…floral. Sasuke reached over to grab some popcorn and Naruto busied himself with a soda, both immersed in the film.

"EEP!" Naruto suddenly screeched.

"What _now_?"

"Something wet! On-on my-"

"_What_?" The Uchiha was starting to get annoyed. They'd already come all the way over here to watch a movie, dealt with the suspiciously pervy concession guy and now…

"Neck!"

"Naruto, what are you talking about?"

A tuft of red hair appeared from the seat behind the quivering boy, followed by a pair of shockingly ice blue eyes. They looked amused…and aroused. It was a boy, probably around their age. A suspicious aura surrounded him, and his slim figure leaned forward onto the top of Naruto's chair, combat boots digging into the chair behind it. His eyes pierced into Naruto's shocked ones.

"I've been trying to get your attention," He said simply. His voice was dry, crisp and ragged. Everything about him seemed strained, painful. He wore that pain on his wrists, and the pain in his voice made Naruto's heart beat with increased intensity.

The boy licked his lips. Sasuke's left eyebrow went up about half a centimeter.

_Who is this guy?_

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Love triangle, or not? Perhaps a threesome…

Read, review, and tell me your thoughts!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

**Summary**: "Why do you get all the girls?!" Naruto fumed at his best friend. "Why do _you_ get all the guys?" Sasuke shot back, equally angry. Well…not all of them. SasuNaru and others. AU, high school fic.

**Genre**: Romance/Drama

**Rating**: M (getting there…)

**Warnings**: Slash!

**Pairings**: SasuNaru, bits of SasuGaaNaru

**Recap: **Naruto and Sasuke at a movie theater…

"_Something wet! On-on my-"_

"_What?" The Uchiha was starting to get annoyed. They'd already come all the way over here to watch a movie, dealt with the suspiciously pervy concession guy and now…_

"_Neck!"_

"_Naruto, what are you talking about?" _

_A tuft of red hair appeared from the seat behind the quivering boy, followed by a pair of shockingly ice blue eyes. They looked amused…and aroused. It was a boy, probably around their age. A suspicious aura surrounded him, and his slim figure leaned forward onto the top of Naruto's chair, combat boots digging into the chair behind it. His eyes pierced into Naruto's shocked ones. _

"_I've been trying to get your attention," He said simply. His voice was dry, crisp and ragged. Everything about him seemed strained, painful. He wore that pain on his wrists, and the pain in his voice made Naruto's heart beat with increased intensity. _

_The boy licked his lips. Sasuke's left eyebrow went up about half a centimeter._

_Who was this guy?_

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**Possessive**

Chapter 3

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"Who are _you_?" Naruto asked rudely, taken aback (even more so when the boy leaned _just another inch _forward, when it seemed inhumanly possible at that point). The red-haired boy was wearing a heavy-looking leather jacket, and the coppery scent of blood mixed with the leather emanated from him. Naruto snarled at him, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

Sasuke's eyes felt **pulled**, as if in a trance. He blinked, trying to clear his mind. His earlier suspicions had only grown. The movie scenes clicked on in their floral patterns as the boy began a low laugh, his grin widening almost evilly. It infuriated Naruto even more that the guy was smiling. Sasuke swallowed, finding his throat suddenly dry.

"Gaara," And with that simple reply he jumped off the chair and swung around to their row, grabbing the shocked blond silently by the shoulders and dragging him to the exit. All the while, his eerie gaze traveled down the blond's body, hands following. Naruto responded too slowly and flailed, attempting to slap the pale hands aside. Sasuke sat, stunned for a moment too long, then shouted.

"Hey!" To which the entranced audience replied with several annoyed _SSH!!!_'s. He followed at a sprint.

The blond screamed but it was drowned out as Gaara snatched his lips in a crushing kiss, tongue dashing in greedily. Naruto's eyes widened, blazing with anger, as he shoved the other boy aside. This only goaded Gaara on further. Naruto spun his way out of the embrace and broke into a run. They had made it to the exit and Naruto raced along down the stairs to lead the horny redhead outside.

"Where you going, beautiful?" He stalked forward, lingering on the scent as Naruto paused by the entrance. His breathing became ragged "I can't even _explain_ what you're doing to my body…"

"Now see here," Naruto, obviously having gone through this process before, prepared for something along the lines of a lecture "You-"

"Oi!" A voice came from inside the theater, and Sasuke emerged breathless "What's your deal?"

"Tch," Gaara scoffed, turning his back to him "He your man or something?"

Sasuke flushed. Naruto's rage got the better of him and he took two steps forward, landing a hard punch on the guy's chest. Gaara grunted and took a step back in pain, then turned his head back to the blond, keeping his glowing eyes on him as he grabbed the fingers and kissed the knuckles tenderly.

Red sparked in the blue eyes, and Gaara gave an even more intrigued look.

"Kiss me?" He experimented.

"Lay off him," Sasuke strode forward to meet Gaara's cold eyes in a death stare. Naruto's breathing became more labored as his body swayed. Sasuke's eyes darted between the two as the blond began to sink to the ground, lost in pain.

"Or what?" The redhead took Naruto's other hand and backed him up against the wall opposite the gate, sending kisses along his neck as the boy crooned in pain and pleasure. His hands traveled over the blonde's body with ease and skill. Sasuke shoved him away roughly and the two separated, Gaara landing lightly on his boots, meeting Sasuke's eyes eerily. Sasuke grabbed the writhing blond by the shoulders.

"Get off him!" He called over his shoulder as his body provided as a barrier between Naruto and Gaara.

"He's not your property," Gaara sneered.

"Yes he is! Get out!" Sasuke panicked as Naruto began to shake uncontrollably.

"So he is, huh? He's _yours_?" Gaara crossed his arms and the mysterious eyes turned on their charm. Sasuke again felt the void pulling him again. His heart began to speed up, and the cold icy eyes began to worm their way in. _What is this? What is he doing?_

Naruto screamed in agony, the noise awakening Sasuke. The lines on Naruto's face began to darken. Sasuke's heart was on fire. He had to get him away.

"What's this?" Gaara's eyes darted curiously, and for once Sasuke saw a twinge of surprise in them.

"_Gaara…" Kyuubi_ chuckled deeply from inside Naruto, earning a shocked look from the redhead "_Gaara of the Sand. Taking an interest in my Naru-chan…ah Shukaku…it's been years…_"

"What is-"

"None of your business," Sasuke looked away from Gaara's eyes, for fear he'd never be able to look away again. He turned to crouch by the moaning boy, whispering words of security in his ears. He had to calm him.

"Naruto…Naruto…" Sasuke grabbed his hands, tightly clenched, and attempted to loosen them. He twisted his body to look into the boy's frenzied eyes, which were battling between red and blue "It's Sasuke. Sasuke's here. Let's go-"

"Let me-" Gaara's rough voice spoke from behind him, almost weakly. There was a newfound strain in his voice, as if he'd realized something.

"Get out," Sasuke replied coldly to Gaara's confused stare, his voice low "You started this mess."

"Fine," The other spoke hoarsely "He's your _property_."

Sasuke paid little attention as Gaara departed silently. He pried Naruto's arms loose and allowed the boy to wrap them around him as he lifted his body up. Naruto's nails, growing and sharpening into points, dug into Sasuke's shoulders painfully. He trembled, trying to stand up on his own, but ended up leaning heavily on the raven.

"Easy…easy," Sasuke whispered urgently despite the sharp jolts of pain on his shoulders, his lips inches from the boy's ears "Sasuke, Sasuke, it's Sasuke. I'm here. I'm here. Ne, try to stand up, dobe."

"…'Suke…my Sasuke…"

"That's it," Sasuke gasped, feeling Naruto's heart beating wildly against his as he did so.

"Isss…" Naruto mumbled incoherently.

"That's it," He repeated. "Think we can head back to the theater? There's still some popcorn left."

"S-s…Sasuke?" He struggled to respond, still weak.

"What?" His eyes darted, searching.

"Popcorn. Isss all mine," The boy replied, a weak smile on his face.

Sasuke's heart began to slow, and he felt Naruto's react similarly. The thoughts began to catch up with him. It worried him that _Kyuubi_ had been acting up so much recently. Every little thing had begun to set him off. What had he said? Where had Gaara gone? Why had he left so suddenly? He had sounded…assured. What if he told someone? And what had Naruto just said…?

He looked at the breathing form clinging onto him for dear life.

…_my Sasuke?_

O – o – O

"**My head**…_awuhohhh_" Naruto burrowed himself in a blanket once they returned to Iruka's. _Kyuubi _had been acting up so often recently, Iruka thought it best that Sasuke sleep over with him and Naruto for awhile. Sasuke had been staying in his own empty home, having lost all in his family save his older brother years ago, so he didn't mind leaving the dreary Uchiha residence for awhile.

"Naruto, I think it's best if you stay home from school tomorrow," Iruka chided worriedly, dabbing his forehead while taking his temperature.

"Nooo! Tomorrow is Crazy Hair Day! It's my favorite!"

"It's crazy enough, dobe. You don't need a holiday to prove it to people."

"Teme! I'll do whatever I well please!"

"Naruto…" Iruka and Sasuke both sighed in unison, knowing that he would be at school tomorrow regardless of what anyone had to say.

After a hearty dinner the three headed off to their separate quarters. It was well-past 10:00PM. Naruto collapsed on the bed, which responded with a loud creak. Sasuke had thrown a sleeping bag on the floor of Naruto's room, and sat studying at the usually unused desk, pouring over a calculus problem set. The genius had loaded his schedule with tons of honors courses, but kept up with ease. Naruto lay on his twin bed, unable to sleep.

"Sasuke?"

"I'm working,"

"I know. I just wanted to ask," Naruto continued, pausing for a moment. Sasuke heard him take in a shuddered breath of air "Was it scary? Y'know, seeing me like that?"

A short pause.

"Yes. I was scared." Sasuke replied briefly.

The scratching of pencil and punching of calculator buttons took up the next few minutes of "noise space".

"That's it?" He asked quietly. Sasuke stiffened, turning around in the swivel chair.  
"What do you mean, _that's it_?" His voice was strained with concealed anger but it began to leak out, his eyes burning into Naruto's still form lying on the bed "I thought you were going to **die** today!"

"Oh…" Naruto replied weakly.

"I don't think you get it," Sasuke continued, almost delirious. He was getting angrier by the minute "Why do you let people treat you like that? All these years. And today. That guy from the theater just grabs you and you're _okay with that_?"

"Sasuke I-"

"They talk about you and you let them? You hear them in the halls, I know it. And those guys, they send you flowers and candy and you just _take it_? You know you're stronger and could _kill_ every last one of them. And you…you _smile_." Sasuke stood up suddenly, facing the boy. His voice shook with pain and emotion "How are you so _happy_? How do you **smile**, Naruto? How do you smile after all this?"

His words echoed off the walls.

"Sasuke," Naruto started, voice shaking as well as he sat up in his bed "Sasuke come here,"

"Answer me," Sasuke replied angrily as he came closer, but not by much.

"I don't know how not to, Sasuke," Naruto reasoned, swinging his legs over the bed and peering into the angry boy's eyes "That's how I live. I can't stay angry or sad forever."

"But you have a right to! Look what it's done to you!" Sasuke took a step closer, grabbing Naruto's arm and pulling up the sleeve. Self-inflicted bruises from encounters of days and weeks past bore their mark. Sasuke wrestled him over, exposing the curse seal over his tan stomach.

"Look Naruto! _Look!_"

Naruto shrunk back, trying not to shove Sasuke over too roughly. The two tousled on the bed, Sasuke landing a punch to Naruto's ribs, and Naruto ramming him back.

"Everyone is born with struggles, and it's not anyone's fault," He reaffirmed, and met the other's eyes with strength as he leaned over him "I was born with struggle, and so were you. How do you think **I** felt after The Massacre?"

Sasuke flinched. That bloody night. His entire clan…

"That's why I'm here, Sasuke. And that's why you're here for me. Not to protect. Bad stuff always happens. But you need someone to _be there for you_ when it does." He spoke as he locked the other in a tight embrace. Sasuke struggled for a moment, relenting after a brief moment. He shifted to meet Naruto in the eyes. There was a passion and a happiness there that burned brightly. How it stayed alive, he would never understand.

"Aaah, Sasuke," Naruto broke the silence suddenly, feeling a little strange for some reason. Sasuke clenched his jaw, feeling a little emptier as Naruto pulled away. Naruto shifted, realizing that he hadn't changed out of his clothes. Tossing aside his shirt, he fished out a slip of paper from his back jeans pocket.

"That perv!" He exclaimed as he opened and read the thing "He left me his phone number!"

"Gaara," Sasuke remembered suddenly.

"What? You want it?"

"Dobe, don't be stupid," Sasuke growled, grabbing Naruto's cell phone, muttering "Men just love you don't they?"

"Well women love you!" He snapped back good-naturedly, and then asked "What are you doing anyways?"

"We have to find him."

"WHAT? Why would I-"

"He saw you. Like _that_."

"Oh. Okay."

"Okay is right."

Naruto swallowed as Sasuke dialed the number quickly.

"You better not be lying. I knew you were desperate but-" Naruto mumbled incoherently as he waited for a response.

"Baka. He's not my type. He'd be better off raping some innocent like you."

"Shut up!"

"It's true."

"Well! Why do you get all the girls?!" Naruto fumed at his best friend.

"Why do _you_ get all the guys?" Sasuke shot back, equally angry.

"You know already!"

The phone buzzed pleasantly in the background amongst the boys' squabbling. Sasuke fumbled with the sheets, turning the setting to speaker mode.

"You don't even like men! And you're a man magnet!"

"Teme! How do you know that?"

"_Naruto_'s right," Gaara spoke seductively, startling them both, voice eternally raspy. Sasuke shivered despite his sitting in the Naruto-warmed sheets. Something about his voice just strung a note "What's to say he doesn't like men?"

"Gaara," Naruto flared.  
"Been dreaming about you." He purred lazily. Sasuke imagined him lying down on a bed with the phone to his ear. He'd been dreaming…

"Watch it." Sasuke snarled into the phone.

"You," Gaara growled back "Still here huh?"

"Knock it off. What do you want?" Naruto cut in.

"I just want to know you, _kitsune_," Naruto's eyes widened. _How did he know…?_

"Don't call me that! How'd you-"

"Naruto. We have more in common than you think." Gaara continued "Your secret. I haven't told anyone, if you need to know."

"What are you talking about?"

"You have a secret. One we share, hm? They probably told you about your _bijuu_. One _Kyuubi no Kitsune_?"

Sasuke and Naruto shared a concerned look. This was deeper than they'd thought. Naruto spoke waveringly.

"Where can I find you?"

* * *

Maybe it'll end up a threesome after all…or at least temporarily.

What do you think?

R&R!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

**Summary**: "Why do you get all the girls?" Naruto fumed at his best friend. "Why do _you_ get all the guys?" Sasuke shot back, equally angry. Well…not all of them. SasuNaru and others. AU, high school fic.

**Genre**: Romance/Drama

**Rating**: M

**Pairings**: SasuNaru, SasuGaaNaru…and who knows where that'll end.

**Recap: **Gaara knows a secret!

"_You don't even like men! And you're a man magnet!"_

"_Teme! How do you know that?"_

"_Naruto's right," Gaara spoke seductively, startling them both, voice eternally raspy. Sasuke shivered despite his sitting in the Naruto-warmed sheets. Something about his voice just strung a note "What's to say he doesn't like men?" _

"_Gaara," Naruto flared.  
"Been dreaming about you." He purred lazily. Sasuke imagined him lying down on a bed with the phone to his ear. He'd been dreaming…_

"_Watch it." Sasuke snarled into the phone._

"_You," Gaara growled back "Still here huh?"_

"_Knock it off. What do you want?" Naruto cut in._

"_I just want to know you, kitsune," Naruto's eyes widened. How did he know…?_

"_Don't call me that! How'd you-"_

"_Naruto. We have more in common than you think." Gaara continued "Your secret. I haven't told anyone, if you need to know." _

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_You have a secret. One we share, hm? They probably told you about your bijuu. One Kyuubi no Kitsune?"_

_Sasuke and Naruto shared a concerned look. This was deeper than they'd thought. Naruto spoke waveringly. _

"_Where can I find you?" _

_

* * *

_

o

**Possessive**

Chapter 4

o

"Naruto Uzumaki. What have I stumbled upon?" Gaara laughed to himself in his apartment the following morning, almost maniacally as he walked around lighting the many candles in the living room. Images of the blonde had raged through his head for hours after their encounter, and Gaara found himself unable to clear his head of the thoughts. He had watched him chatting with that raven-haired boy for a few moments earlier when they came into the dark theater, catching his smile. His smile, his beauty, those eyes…

_Mother…have I found love?_ For a moment Gaara calmed, his lust-filled thoughts subsiding momentarily.

It had been instantaneous. And to think, Naruto was also like himself, in so many ways. He traced the dark shadows around his eyes. So many ways.

He then stroked the sofa he sat on absentmindedly as he twirled the lighter in one hand, imagining Naruto there. He imagined the boy swinging his legs over the sofa, his messy hair swaying ungracefully.

Gaara had returned home after their encounter nearly mad. He showered in freezing water but it didn't cool him from the pulsing heat. He changed into a clean iron-pressed black shirt but he couldn't rid Naruto's scent from his skin. He imagined Naruto's innocent face as Gaara pinned him to the leather sofa, struggling as he was riddled with slow kisses. He imagined Naruto's lips; that taste still on his own after those long hours. He imagined Naruto's legs intertwining with his, begging angrily for love with his fierce, animalistic eyes. _That rage. _

Gaara remembered, staring into a particularly bright orange candle by the coffee table. Such familiar rage.

His eyes traveled over his well-kept apartment, searching for flaws. Gaara was, after all, a perfectionist. The old clock, inherited from some dead relative or another, struck at the hour with a deathly _thrum_ and Gaara heard footsteps.

Right on time.

The doorbell chimed almost forebodingly. His heavy boots produced a clipped tone as he swung the door open elegantly.

And there he was. Those eyes blazed with that rage yet again, and Gaara grabbed him by the waist immediately, bringing them closer. He looped his leg around Naruto's as if daring him. _Get in here._

"Oi, oi! Itai!" Naruto grumbled angrily, pulling them apart.

"I didn't know you were Japanese, _koibito_," Gaara called as Naruto stomped in past him.

"I'm only half," He growled as he struggled to remain polite "Sasuke!"

_Ah, there he is_. Gaara watched the raven-haired boy pass by him in the doorway, and swore he felt the energy radiating off him. The boy gave him a heated stare and Gaara couldn't help but check the guy out as he walked past. He had an athletic build, pale skin and a cold exterior. His already strong voice dropped lower, muttering a silky _'baka'_ to his blond friend. If it wasn't for Naruto the raven would have his full-on attention.

Naruto had already taken a seat at the sofa.

"So, why's your house so clean, Gaara-kun?" He whistled as he glanced around.

"Dobe, you seem to forget why we're here," Sasuke punched his shoulder as he seated himself beside the blonde. He noted the abundance of scented candles, as well as a surprising collection of cacti and a few other desert plants. Gaara didn't exactly seem like the gardening type.

"Teme, I was just being diplomatic!"

"Pet names." Gaara smirked as he closed the door "Can **I** give you one, Naruto?"

"No thanks," Sasuke growled.

"I think Naruto can decide for himself," Gaara challenged, seating himself beside the blonde and twirling their legs together once more. He glanced at Sasuke teasingly "Then again, you did say he was your property."

"Property!"

"I did not." Sasuke flushed as Naruto gave him an outraged and questioning look "And leave him alone- he's got a condition."

"Well that's no condition to stay away from me, is it kitsune?" Gaara purred as Naruto broke free impatiently.

"That's what we're here about," Sasuke said, cutting to the point "You've obviously seen Naruto's condition in effect, and know of…well…"

_It is not my place to say_. Sasuke bit his lip.

"The infamous _Kyuubi no Kitsune_. Yes. And as a matter of fact I'm _quite_ familiar." Gaara rose to light another candle, smirking as Sasuke's eyes followed his shadowed form.

"Listen, this isn't a game," Naruto said with rare seriousness "This information isn't something I can spread around. The cops, the government, they'd be all over this. And have been, searching I mean. If you understand it like you say you do, I need you to promise me an honest promise."

"I am an honest man, Naruto," Gaara sat down again, and his cold fingers trailed the blonde's "I can prove it…no. I can show you."

"What are you-"

"Naruto, we are the same," Gaara lifted his bangs to reveal what seemed to be a Japanese kanji, "ai", etched painfully onto his forehead. Naruto gasped, his eyes clouding. _Love._ _To never love. To never be loved._ "I too lose control."

Sasuke's eyes widened as he peered over Naruto's shoulder. Naruto stroked the scar tenderly but not timidly as Gaara's hands guided him.

"They call me _Sabaku no Gaara_. I am also a _jinchuuriki_;of the One-Tailed _bijuu_ _Shukaku_." Gaara spoke quietly. Naruto noted that the crazed, restless ocean waves of the redhead's eyes seemed to momentarily subside "It speaks to me. I cannot sleep. I lose control…in this terrible lust…"

"I lose control in rage," Naruto spoke softly as well, smiling as Sasuke gripped his shoulder with a bitter grin of his own. He lifted his orange t-shirt to a mysterious swirling black curse mark "I would have been lost if it were not for the love of my precious people."

"Precious people…" Gaara scoured his mind, looking down in something close to shame "I have not been graced with such kindness. My past was a bloody one."

The room was quiet. The candle nearest Gaara fizzled out in the silence, and he watched it go. Soon they would go too. _Run away. Don't touch me. I can never be loved. _

_ Mother, where are you? Mother, you too?_

"My past was also of great pain." Naruto set his teeth and broke the silence with an air of remorse. True remorse.

_Those eyes_. Gaara met them with an unwavering gaze. The waves broke, colliding as Naruto's sparked in that hellish red Gaara had witnessed before. A small spark, but it began to grow, lapping over the oceans in an all-consuming fire…

"Yeah baka, until I showed up," Sasuke loosened the atmosphere with a sharp smack to Naruto's skull.

"You think _my_ past is bad? Sasuke well…he's pretty screwed up." Naruto laughed, turning to the raven, who gave him a look. Gaara's eyes widened as he watched the red die away "Just wait till you meet his _brother_."

"Sentimental much." Sasuke snorted.

"You have been alone until now, Gaara-kun. Sasuke and I can be precious to you, dattebayo! You must promise though. Please keep our secret."

_Our? _Gaara was slightly puzzled.

"The two of you," Gaara continued "You are obviously very close."

"Dobe has been jealous of me for years. We met in grade school" Sasuke gloated in that low, confident way of his "The dork just can't keep up though. My scar is also much cooler."

"Ne, I'll give you five more scars for the one that perv gave you. Jerk!" Naruto screeched like a banshee, turning pink

"Ugh, don't mention him. This guy though, he knows he's got it good. I'll just have to take care of him forever, even after I join the CIA."

"Teme's such an airhead. He just knows I'm going to be president one day and I'll be commanding his sorry hieny"

"Heiny? What are you, four?"

"TEME!" He punched him.

"Is it love?"

They froze. Naruto extracted his fist from Sasuke's forehead. The two blushed flagrantly at the thought.

"Naruto and I-" Sasuke began quickly, then immediately regretted it. Gaara's look made him nervous; he _never_ stumbled over his words "We are…are-"

"Sasuke and I are the best of friends," Naruto said bluntly with a smile, eyes twinkling in a simpleton manner. Sasuke shifted slightly, miffed. Gaara immediately noticed the downcast look in his eye. _Curious._

"Well, that seems just perfect for me, kitsune," Gaara's lustful voice started coming back, although it seemed much more in control now. He was going to figure this out. Naruto would be the best way to experiment.

He gripped Naruto's fingers, kissed them, and brushed them across his scar once more "That means I have you all to myself."

He barely controlled the joy in his eyes as he saw Sasuke stiffen, biting his lip and (from what Gaara guessed) several choice curse words back.

"We'd better get going," Sasuke ripped Naruto off the sofa and proceeded to shove him out the door. "Dobe, you promised Iruka you'd make lunch."

"I'll see you again, Uzumaki." Gaara rose and blew out a candle by the entrance as he watched them leave.

"Wait, I didn't tell you my surname!"

"I learned that yesterday." Gaara gave him a wink, and Naruto realized the boy must have taken a glance down his boxers.

O – o – O

"Are you sure, Iruka-sensei? I don't want to intrude,"

"I know as much as you do about living alone." Naruto answered for him, vaguely irritated "And it sucks. Don't fight about it, teme."

Sasuke had unofficially moved in, but his inner politeness toward Iruka had refused to die out. And Naruto found it really annoying. A sleeping bag had been replaced with a comfy futon imported from his room back at the Uchiha Manor, and bit by bit pieces of Sasuke's possessions floated into the apartment. The dust on some of his things was remarkable, and it was clear that Sasuke had tried to spend as much time away from the Manor as he could. Meanwhile, Naruto could not for the life of him understand why Iruka was the only adult (or person, for that matter) Sasuke ever showed respect. He sat on his bed pondering in front of some science homework. Oddly he never once thought of asking him. Things with Sasuke had always been unspoken. Well, for the most part.

"Dobe I'm putting it in here." Sasuke's low voice muttered from around the corner as he dragged in yet another dusty artifact, this one being an exquisite elegant floor lamp made of stainless steel. The strong tones had begun to invade Naruto's room with each item, dampening his mood.

"Teme, didn't you ever think of _asking me_?"

"You said I could move in."

"I never said you could invade my room with your depressing junk!"

"Well where else am I supposed to sleep? You know if I stayed in Iruka's room, Kakashi'd-"

"Don't mention them! It's weird enough." Naruto shivered at the thought of the scarecrow dating his adoptive father. Such a perv…

"Well?"

"Go sleep upstairs in the dojo!"

"Fine."

He carried the lamp out, and Naruto twitched as he realized the purposeful _clunk clunk_ off of every stair. The stairs that ran right by Iruka's bedroom. That little-

"**NARUTO!**" Iruka's booming voice screeched five minutes later "**Sasuke's staying with you! Show some hospitality!**"

And the lamp was brought back in by a smirking raven.

"You have terrible taste, you know," Sasuke remarked as he shoved over a couple of Naruto's dirty undergarments to put the lamp down

"I think," Naruto took an even breath, trying not to squash Sasuke's face in. This little condition had proved to be a decent reason to develop his anger management skills after all "If we're both going to be stuck in here we might as well make it work."

"Like what, oh wise interior designer?" Sasuke flopped onto the bed beside him with a sarcastic stare.

"That's it!"

"What?"

"We'll design it!"

"Like what, paint the walls?"

"Yeah, and make a whole new room from this. Bean bags, game consoles, pictures of naked women. Like the ultimate bachelor pad. Iruka loves you, and I've been wanting to do this for **forever** but he's never let me!"

"Because you're a messy slob."

"And you're a perfectionist, but we've all got our own problems."

Sasuke glared.

"What I mean is, how are _you_ going to design an entire room?"

"Well _us_."

"Even so-"

"I've always wanted orange walls…" He glanced up dreamily.

"One second. If we're painting this thing it's _not_ going to be orange. I'll get headaches!"

"What would you do? Probably black and blue, for your emo fetish, heheh. Sakura told me all about it."

"I **do not **have an** emo fetish**," Sasuke growled and pounced off the bed, turning away to hide an extremely embarrassed look "We're planning this out right. Do you have a tape measure?"

"Sasukee, I have homework!"

"It's Friday. You have all weekend, idiot."

"Oh yeah. Well we can't all be smart like you."

"I'll make a schematic. Go pull out that paint color thing." Sasuke pulled out some loose paper while Naruto dug around for the supplies. The raven began making a rough blueprint from the measurements, working on their shared desk. They worked in silence, Naruto sketching something roughly on the bed while Sasuke etched out his neat lines, making measurements as he paced around the room. After about five minutes Naruto put down his sketch, abandoning it on the bed to attend to the corner of the room where Sasuke's desk was. Sasuke eyed him; the blond hair in his peripheral vision was distracting.

"What are you doing?"

"Don't laugh." Naruto mumbled, his back turned "Cleaning."

Sasuke was about to make a snide remarked, then stopped. He got up from the desk and sat on the bed, and before Naruto could stop him, looked at the sketch.

"NO! It's not done!"

"Naruto…"

The sketch was the room, but not in its present form. The walls were white, the carpet a deep blue that reminded Sasuke of his own hair. Their desk shined, polished with a new black finish and orange accents around the legs. The chair matched, striped with blue and orange, creating a style that was almost tribal. Sasuke's elegant black lamp was adorned with a bright orange shade with a black stripe, sitting by the desk. The giant window on the side of the desk had been adorned with full drapes, streaked with another shock of orange. The orange continued with two rough globes that appeared to be beanbags, next to their big black TV on a custom-built navy colored shelf.

What caught Sasuke's eye most were the beds. They had been placed so close together that, if they had not been styled completely differently, could have been mistaken for one bed. The thought provoked a light blush.

The wooden futon with plain white had been accented with blue pillows, while Naruto's bed had been topped with a bedding of orange swirls, ending with a cluster of bright orange pillows.

"Sasuke. Give it back."

Sasuke handed it over wordlessly, but as he turned back to the desk he muttered something under his breath.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"Nothing."

"WHAT?"

"Idiot. Nothing." His voice got smaller.

"You _said something_. What _**was it**_?" Naruto's voice got bigger.

"Dobe…I said you were smart too." Sasuke said, in the smallest of voices.

"What do you mean?"

"Baka. It takes talent to sketch something this good, alright. Don't swell up too much about it."

"Oh." Naruto realized. He had never, to his knowledge, been complimented by Sasuke.

The _scritch scratch_ of pencils resumed on Sasuke's end. Naruto continued to stare at him from the bed, still holding the sketch.

"Thank you," He said suddenly, and was met with surprise when Sasuke threw a calculator at him.

"I'm pulling up the stats on your laptop. We'll go to the store tomorrow." Sasuke said, and Naruto recognized it as his work-voice. He only used it when he was trying to avoid something "We're going to have to figure out how many days of work it's going to take us."

"To do what?"

"What do you think? To pay this off. Paint, wood, fabric…"

"Sasuke,"

"What?"

"I mean it. Thank you."

* * *

That took **forever**. I've really missed this story.

_**For interested fans:**_

This is new for me, but I'm actually designing right along with our favorite couple (or is it?).

I hope to put up my floor plans, scans, or whatever up, but we'll see. I'm kind of new to interior design. It's not a career plan or anything, but it sounded like fun so why not.

**And**…how about some input? SasuNaru or GaaNaru? Or SasuGaaNaru? Or something radical? R&R and cast in your votes!

I'll be leaving for college in two weeks so updates will be on hold.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

**Summary**: "Why do you get all the girls?" Naruto fumed at his best friend. "Why do _you_ get all the guys?" Sasuke shot back, equally angry. Well…not all of them. SasuNaru and others. AU, high school fic.

**Genre**: Romance/Drama

**Rating**: M

**Pairings**: SasuNaru, SasuGaaNaru?

**Recap: **Gaara muddles with himself but decides to help, while Sasuke and Naruto decide to pretty up their (now shared) room, despite their conflicting ideas (orange walls?).

_ "Baka. It takes talent to sketch something this good, alright. Don't swell up too much about it." _

_ "Oh." Naruto realized. He had never, to his knowledge, been complimented by Sasuke. _

_ The scritch scratch of pencils resumed on Sasuke's end. Naruto continued to stare at him from the bed, still holding the sketch. _

_ "Thank you," He said suddenly, and was met with surprise when Sasuke threw a calculator at him. _

_ "I'm pulling up the stats on your laptop. We'll go to the store tomorrow." Sasuke said, and Naruto recognized it as his work-voice. He only used it when he was trying to avoid something "We're going to have to figure out how many days of work it's going to take us."_

_ "To do what?"_

_ "What do you think? To pay this off. Paint, wood, fabric…"_

_ "Sasuke,"_

_ "What?"_

_ "I mean it. Thank you."_

* * *

o

**Possessive**

Chapter 5

o

"Nnhh," Sasuke whimpered as he lay on his belly. They were in a dark candle-lit room, a place Sasuke had never visited. It was freezing cold and he clutched the sheets, but his heart was on fire.

"Relax," A cool voice, followed by an even cooler hand, stroked his back softly. The icy fingertips danced across his skin, blunt fingernails racing over his tense flesh "I'll go slowly. We have time. We have time, _Sasuke_."

Sasuke's back arched at the voice. So demanding and dominant.

"S-say my name." He hated how his voice shuddered. He would have to make up for this later.

"Look at me and I'll say it all you want, Sasuke." The other boy flipped him over suddenly, stealing his lips in a kiss. His tongue darted in as he clutched Sasuke's shoulders, sliding his body up and down the other's. The friction heated their bodies, and Sasuke felt his jeans sliding down his body.

"Aah," He felt the other boy stroke his manhood "F-ff-"

"Mmm?"

"Faster," He all but whispered, and the other complied.

"Nobody will hear us here, Sasuke. You can scream all you want." Sasuke felt the wet tongue and the nibbling behind his left ear.

"This is loud enough," His voice still trembled a little, but it managed to stay slightly irritated "Just _hurry up_."

The cold wet feeling of lube hit his skin like a block of ice, and the hotness of the other boy as he slid into him sent his mind spinning.

"Gaara! Ahnn…Gaara harder!" He screamed, lost in the madness of the moment. His senses had awakened and it became too much; the rough voice striking his ears, the sharp addicting scent of the candles intoxicating him. It was all too late.

"How badly do you want it, Uchiha?"

"So bad," He moaned, feeling pitiful and angry, and at the same time caught in this bliss "Gaara…"

There was a loud ringing in the back of his mind, and he half-wondered if it came from the pain.

"Does the prince need it softer?"

"I can take this," He dared call him a prince? The ringing got worse and worse, and Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut in pain until he could handle it no longer. He then felt an immediate iciness; Gaara was pulling away "What are you doing?"

But he could hear nothing but high-pitched and amused laughter as the ringing drove Sasuke screaming to insanity.

He gasped, awakening in his bed from the most realistic dream he had ever had.

"God…" He rolled over on the futon clumsily, landing on the ground groaning. It took him a moment to realize he was back in Naruto's room…their room. He tiptoed over Naruto's scattered clothes, breathing raggedly. Once he was out the door he strode down the hall to the bathroom, releasing himself as quietly as he could.

_I hope Iruka didn't hear any of that_. Sasuke's body shook, and he bit his lip impatiently

Back in Naruto's room, the blonde sat up, awake.

He had been awake for awhile, having gotten up an hour ago for a midnight snack on the leftover ramen (since he had unofficially moved into the apartment, he had made sure there was _always_ leftover ramen). Unable to believe that Sasuke had been dreaming about Gaara, let alone in_ that_ fashion, he lay frozen. Was there anything he could have done? _Should_ have done? Should he have woken Sasuke? Obviously Sasuke had…enjoyed the dream. He had screamed bloody murder all the same. Naruto shuddered, hoping his adoptive father heard none of it.

Even after all these years, he never knew Sasuke swung that way. He never even considered it. Gay boys to Naruto had always been those leeches that clung after him, taxing his energy and driving him to madness. Then again, most people around town didn't take kindly to Naruto and never had, so his opinion might be a little biased. But Sasuke wasn't one of them…was he?

His thoughts came to an abrupt halt as Sasuke re-entered the room. Naruto lay back down and pretended to be asleep. Sasuke groaned in tiredness, stumbling over various articles of clothing around the room. Naruto's brow furrowed; Sasuke was usually precise as a hawk. He landed heavily on the futon, and didn't make a noise for a few minutes. Naruto frowned as the minutes passed, thinking of ways he could bring up the topic later.

"Naruto?" Sasuke spoke suddenly, and Naruto nearly screamed. He thought Sasuke was asleep by now. What should he do? Pretend to be asleep? Sure. That was good…for now. He heard the sound of feet as he turned on the dull desk lamp at the other side of the room.

"Nnnmn…" Naruto mumbled, almost half-heartedly. Sasuke sounded scared.

"Naruto," Sasuke was hovering over him now; he could feel his rushed breath. He tried to roll over in fake slumber, but the other boy gripped his shoulders "Wake up idiot."

Fine.

"Mmnh?" He managed to look sleepy and slightly confused "What is it?"

"Listen," He said, and Naruto's eyes widened slightly. Sasuke looked **really** scared; more fearful than he'd ever seen him. He was crouched, almost defensively, like he was fearful of being touched or spoken to. It reminded him of…that night. The Uchiha Massacre. He had barely known Sasuke then, but the whispering around school was endless and within days Naruto had heard painful details of the tragedy six ways to Sunday "Do you think we can trust…G-Gaara?"

"Gaara?" He half-feigned confusion, struggling not to break character. Sasuke never trembled, never stuttered, and never hesitated. He was also getting closer, already sitting on the bed "Um…are you- are you getting bad vibes or something?"

"I don't know," He clenched the sheets roughly, and even in the slight darkness Naruto could see him shaking "I don't know…"

"Are you all right?" Naruto sat up, meeting him in the eyes "You know if you want to…talk or something. It's only three o'clock, teme."

Sasuke stared at him, calmed by his tone. How could he joke in such a tone? There was a fire in Naruto's eyes that calmed him, brought him home. _As if he could fix the whole world with those eyes._ He bowed his head, almost in shame.

Naruto looked at him, eyes still wide and curious, almost expecting a joke like usual. He cocked his head, and sighed. Sasuke had never looked so alone. He almost wished the other teen would punch him or something, and shake up this tense atmosphere he had created.

"I'm…_scared_." Sasuke whispered painfully, sickened by his own words. What a disgraceful thing for an Uchiha to feel, and worse, to dare to speak of. His father must be rolling over in his grave.

And then there was warmth that grasped him, engulfed him. Naruto was…embracing him. He almost recoiled in shock. He nearly ran away. For a brief moment, however, that that warmth that spoke of acceptance crept into him. He struggled to accept it, and bit back a half-hearted sarcastic comment blushingly.

"Sasuke-teme. Perfect bastards like you get scared too." His voice refused to shake, but was troubled by the rigidity of Sasuke's body at his slightest touch.

"Please," He managed to say, sinking his head further in shame "Don't pity me."

"Teme, talk to me." He pulled back, looking at Sasuke in that reassuring manner "You know I don't believe in pity. If there's anything to pity it's this fox."

Sasuke sighed, and Naruto grumbled.

"Well," He said, still nervously feigning ignorance "What happened?"

"I… I'm confused." He bit his lip, and Naruto sensed he wasn't entirely comfortable. For the first time in years, Sasuke seemed almost breakable. Even Naruto's slightest touch sent him quivering, as if he expected him to…harm him.

"Talk to me when you're ready." He said seriously, meeting the other boy's eyes "Whatever you are feeling or going through, don't feel like you're alone."

His gaze was so pure, so authentic, that Sasuke couldn't help but stare him down, challenging him. Questioning him. What made this person so different from all the others?

"Don't tell a soul or I'll kill you."

He gave a smile, thumbing himself in the chest. It lit like sunshine despite the nearly-dead lamp flickering from the corner of the room. He smiled even wider when Sasuke gave an arrogant scoff. _That's Sasuke, not that scared-stiff bundle of nerves that was just here. _

"You can trust me, 'tebayo. Either way," He pushed him over

"Wh-!" Sasuke fell backwards in surprise

"You'd be dead first if you decide to mess with me." Naruto jumped up, and caught a slight smirk as he landed on his futon "And I'm not apologizing for ruining your beauty sleep."

"You're the one that needs it." Sasuke sprung back, wrestling onto the futon. The fear in those dark eyes was draining. Hopefully he'd loosened the tension. But Sasuke didn't need to know what Naruto knew. He blushed as Sasuke caught him in an arm lock, as he felt that heated skin, fresh from that dream, upon his own. Something felt…off, and shrugged the other boy off.

"Goodnight, teme." He slid off the futon and turned off the lamp quickly, encasing the room in darkness.

Sasuke sat, confused and cold. Naruto had put him into a good mood. He scowled; he was just getting ready for a submission technique! Miffed, he laid his head down to rest, willing himself to not return to the same dream again.

O – o – O

"**NARUTO!**" Sasuke awoke to Iruka's scream from the above floor "GET OUT OF HERE!"

"I knew it I knew it I knew it I knew it-" Footsteps trampled down the stairs, coupled with Naruto's voice as it approached Sasuke's ears. The wild boy sprung into the room and onto his bed, a crazed look in his eye. Sasuke assumed last night was the last thing on the blonde's mind.

"What's got you so excited, dobe?"

"I **knew it**," Naruto turned to him, almost foaming at the mouth "I knew Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei had something under their noses."

_Or their sheets_. Sasuke scoffed. It had taken him long enough to figure it out that the two were in a relationship, and had been for some time.

"Not surprising. They taught together."

"But he…was sleeping here! In **our house**." Naruto shivered dramatically, muttering to himself "That pervert…"

Sasuke blinked. _Our house_. In this moment, he felt at home; more at home than the blood-spattered Uchiha residence of years past. That was a relic encased in time, more fit for a preserved historical site where Hawaiian-shirted tourists snapped pictures on their free weekend than as a home for the sole survivor of the Massacre. Naruto continued muttering as he gathered up strewn articles of clothing for the laundry basket, and Sasuke got up. He opened the window of their room, feeling oddly at peace amidst the blonde's ramblings and the suspicious pounding from upstairs.

The idea of Kakashi and Iruka was a little strange, Sasuke admitted, and he too felt a twinge of…what was this? A nagging feeling that grew as he thought about what they must have been doing upstairs…what they had been doing for a long time. The more he thought about it, the more it concerned him.

Kakashi had been an instructor of his, and was by far the greatest martial arts master in their county. At the same time, Sasuke too had taken him for a pervert and more than a little un-punctual.

Without someone to rant to, Naruto gathered his hamper and headed for the laundry room. Genuinely, he was more than a little overprotective of his guardian. In his position, who wouldn't be? After tossing in his dirty clothes, Naruto headed to the upstairs dojo to began his morning exercises- stretches, push-ups, jump rope. He hardly noticed Sasuke enter with a couple bowls of oatmeal. He also hardly noticed Sasuke coming up to him and punching him, hard, in the chest.

"What was that for?"

"Last night," He smirked, and Naruto paled. _Did he know…?_ "I didn't finish beating you up."

He breathed an inward sigh of relief.

"Arrogant-"

"Usuratonkachi," He passed him the walnut-laden oatmeal, and Naruto was too hungry to comment, saving his "_you know I like raaaamen_" for another time. Sasuke, eager to get started, jumped up and headed to the equipment corner, grabbing armfuls of padded targets and barriers. Naruto watched confusedly as the other boy set them up, facing in different directions and same directions, putting barriers in between and far away. What was he doing? Minutes passed and Naruto had already finished his breakfast, while Sasuke's lay cold beside him.

"Sasuke," He muttered, finally getting up. Something whizzed by in the air faster than he could notice and Naruto yelled out – it was a kunai "SASUKE you know you're not supposed to-"

"Don't move," Sasuke said as the kunai landed behind Naruto on a dartboard. The Uchiha's precision was unmatchable "Don't move…just a minute"

Naruto folded his arms, pissed. He tapped his foot impatiently, considering eating Sasuke's oatmeal.

_He thinks he's so cool!_ Naruto thought as he took his bowl downstairs to the sink and stomped back up to the dojo

"Naruto," Sasuke spoke suddenly as he entered, but Naruto couldn't see him behind walls of colorful foam barrier. They stood up in all directions and all but a few feet of the dojo were blocked from his vision "Get over here."

"Tch," _He thinks he can tell me what to do!_ But Naruto's curiosity got the better of him and he walked to the nearest gap. The walls were blocks of barrier foam that formed a maze, further piquing Naruto's curiosity "Teme, where are you?"

"Follow my voice," A faraway sound caught his right ear

And he did. The foam walls were very precariously placed, as if they'd fall at any minute like dominoes. One leaned against another, others standing alone and some just placed to block view. Eventually he reached a sort of clearing, which he recognized as the middle of the dojo. The rest of the floor was bare, and a giant stack of barriers lay in the corner of the room. On top of this mound stood Sasuke. Naruto's eyes widened. Sometimes Sasuke did things like this, surprising him with strange training exercises all of a sudden. He didn't know where all these crazy ideas came from, but they got more difficult every time.

"Baka, you'll break Iruka-sensei's screen doors!" Naruto yelled, noticing the heavy barriers were inches from the finely crafted doors Iruka had spent days picking out. All of a sudden, Sasuke was behind him.

"No, _you'll_ break them," He pushed Naruto onto the leftover pile of barriers "Unless you fight me."

"That's not fair. You built this maze and know all about it!" Naruto growled

"I took half and built this," Sasuke gestured behind him "You take half and build your side. Then we fight."

He then ran back into his side of the maze, taking Naruto's silence as acceptance.

"Just so you know, I'm going to WIN!" He screamed at the top of his lungs.

O – o – O

Two men were lying in bed in the room next door.

"That Naruto of yours, he's something," A silver-haired Kakashi turned to Iruka, who was curled up away from him, deep in thought.

"Before I got my teaching license I would see him alone in the park,"

"Mm…."

"I used to take walks after working at your dojo," Iruka smiled, and felt the warmth Kakashi's arm around him

"That's what I get for hiring an unlicensed teacher,"

"And then when I found out about _Kyuubi_…" Iruka rolled over, staring into the other man's eyes

"You still loved him?"

"…I did. But it took me awhile to get over it" Iruka lowered his eyes "You know about my parents…"

"A misdirected rage at the boy for what he possesses…"

"I never purposefully hurt him," Iruka bit his lip "But when I saw him I couldn't help but see that monster…"

"You refused him love,"

"Which was just as bad," He shook out of their embrace, sitting up. Iruka had known Kakashi for a few years, but before meeting the man he had only known of him. Kakashi the dojo owner, the county master, and from Kakashi's own word the man who had served in the CIA at the age of twenty-one.

"That's kind of how I found Sasuke," Kakashi laughed lightly, playing with Iruka's loose hair "He was a lonely kid that hung around my dojo. I figured he was going to join since I had taught his older brother"

"But he didn't?"

"He said he couldn't. He is an Uchiha, a name so well-known in police departments around the country and so known for hard work and struggle. But he said he couldn't afford it."

"The boy must have had an inheritance after-"

Kakashi shook his head.

"Death taxes, lawyer fees, all sorts of garbage ate most of his money up," He spoke sadly "What's left is locked up until the boy turns eighteen"

"But you took him in?"

"I couldn't refuse him. The boy was, and is, brilliant. I had to wait, to see how much he wanted it. I watched his eyes," Kakashi smiled, and then it turned into a sad smile "But he has it."

"Has what?" Iruka's voice faltered, then he realized. _The Uchiha…of course._

"Like Naruto, he has been cursed," For a moment, even Kakashi had no words. Iruka's breath hitched, suddenly very glad Sasuke was no longer on the streets or in the Uchiha residence. That boy…

"When did you find out?"

"It must have been a month after he had been standing outside watching, when I decided to take him in. When I saw the confidence in his eyes, I knew he had it, and it just needed a push to be awakened"

_The sharingan. _

* * *

I know – I haven't published in FOREVER. I still love my stories but I'm a busy college student! This story is taking on a more serious note, and will so in the future, but there will be plenty of fun in between so stay tuned!

**R&R – I have a question: who is your favorite character in this fic and why?** Is it their personality, good looks or ability to seduce without bodily presence ;D coughgaara?


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